Article carrier



A ril 14, 1964 H. w. FORRER Original Filed Feb. 10, 1960 I F G 3 INVENTOR HOMER W.FORRER FlG.2

. WWI/ ATTORNEY A ril 14, 1964 H. w FORRER ARTICLE CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 10, 1960 INVENTOR HOM ER W- FORR ER FIG .7

BY 7% ATTORNEY FIG- April 14, 1964 H. w. FORRER 3,128,906

ARTICLE CARRIER Original Filed Feb. 10,.1960 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR HOMER W. FORRER Wait/1W ATTOR NEY United States Patent OfiFice 3,128,906 Patented Apr. 14, 1964 3,128,906 ARTELE CARRIER Homer W. Forrer, Atianta, Ga, assignor to The Mead Corporation, a corporation of Qhio Continuation of application Ser. No. 7,814, Feb. 1% 1969. This application Apr. 5, B63, Ser. No. 271,017 4 Claims. ((11. 226-113) This invention relates to article carriers and more particularly to carriers of the type which are made of paperboard and which are commonly used for packaging a plurality of bottles containing soft drinks, beer, and the like.

This application is a continuation of application Serial Number 7,814, filed February 10, 1960, now abandoned.

Bottle carriers currently in use ordinarily comprise a handle portion to which a bottle receiving portion is attached, the bottle receiving portion being construced to provide a plurality of cells of uniform size for receiving individual bottles. In such carriers it is necessary to construct the bottle receiving cells so that they are somewhat larger than the bottles in order to provide adequate space adjacent the handle to accommodate the hand of the user during portage of the carrier. To provide adequately for the aforementioned condition, it is necessary to utilize a quantity or" paperboard which is not necessary insofar as the requirements of strength, sturdiness and space for the packaged goods are concerned.

It is well known that the quality of beverages such as beer and soft drinks is impaired by undue exposure to sun light. Thus in order to protect the packaged goods from overexposure to sun light, it is the practice to construct carriers with high side and end walls. Obviously such practice requires substantial quantities of paperboard.

The tendency for glass containers to break upon impact is so well known as not to require elaboration. Of course, if high carrier sidewalls are used and if adequate partitioning between adjacent bottles is provided breakage is minimized.

A principal object of this invention is to provide an improved article carrier which affords protection for the packaged article against exposure to sun light and other undesirable sources of radiation, which is arranged to aiford adequate hand-gripping space, and which is constructed so that a minimum quantity of paperboard is required.

Another object of this invention is the provision of an article carrier which is pleasing in appearance and which is structurally adequate for its intended function while requiring a minimum of material for its manufacture.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a bottle carrier which affords protection against breakage caused by impact of the articles therein upon articles in closely adjacent carriers and which is constructed to afford cushioning action between adjacent bottles in the carrier, such cushioning being provided with a minimum of paperboard due to the use of an unsymmetrical pattern whereby the blanks of carriers are in nested relation in the paperboard stock out of which such carriers are stamped. Furthermore, cushioning partitioning elements are disposed within the carrier structure itself to cushion adjacent articles against impact with each other.

The invention in one form comprises .a handle, end panels rfoldably joined to the ends of the handle, a side wall foldably joined to the edges of the end panels remote from the handle, and a plurality of partition strips disposed in spaced parallel relation between said end panels and foldably joined at their ends to the handle and side wall respectively to form a series of article receiving cells aligned between the handle and side wall, the end cells being shorter than the intermediate cells in the direction parallel to the handle and side wall and the end panels and ends of said side wall being deformable to conform with the contour of the packaged article. Since the intermediate cells are larger than the end cells the position of articles in the intermediate cells may be bodily shifted to provide hand-gripping space in the region of the hand-gripping portion of the handle and the handle may be made so that it does not protrude upwardly above the top of the packaged articles thereby requiring a minimum of material. Furthermore, since the end articles are snugly retained, the carrier has stable stacking characteristics and affords a pleasing appearance and cushioning partitions are arranged to afford maximum protection against breakage at a minimum cost.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a carrier constructed according to the invention; FIG. 2. is a side view of the carrier depicted in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line indicated 3-3 in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view partially in section taken along the line designated 44 in FIG. 1; FIG. 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the carton of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is constructed; FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9 depict steps through which the blank of FIG. 5 is folded during manufacture of the carton shown in perspective in FIG. 1; and in which FIGS. 10 and 1-1 are plan views of a blank which constitutes a cushioning partition inserted into the carrier and which serves to cushion adjacent articles in the carrier against impact with each other.

With reference to FIG. '1 the numeral 1 generally designates the carrier handle while the numerals 2 and 3 designate the carrier side Walls. Foldably joined respectively to the ends of side wall 2 are a pair of end panels 4 and 5. In similar fashion end panels 6 and 7 are foldably joined to the ends of side wall 3. Carriers constructed according to the invention are particularly well adapted for use in conjunction with bottles of the low neck type.

The carrier depicted in FIG. 1 is generally similar to the carrier disclosed in my Patent 2,5 37,452, granted January 9, 1951 and owned by the owners of this invention. Thus, the manner in which the carrier constructed according to the present invention is manufactured is similar to the manufacturing method employed in the manufacture of carriers constructed according to the above mentioned Patent 2,537,452. However, for the sake of complete- 7 ness a brief description of the manufacturing steps is set forth herein.

From FIG. 5 is may be observed that side wall 2 is foldably joined to end panel 5 along a scored fold line 8 and that end panel 4- is foldably joined to the other end of sidewall 2 along scored fold line 9. Furthermore, a lap panel 10 is foldably joined to the bottom edge of said wall 2 along a scored fold line 11. Foldably joined to the edge 12 of end panel 5 is a riser panel which is similar to riser panel 14 foldably joined to the edge 15 of end panel '4. According to a feature of the invention the width of riser panel 13 is less than that of riser panel '14 to accommodate nesting of one blank and an adjacent blank thereby to eifect economy in the use of paper-board.

The other side of the carrier is similarly constructed. Thus, with reference to FIG. 5 it may be observed that end panel 6 is foldably joined to an end of side wall 3 along a fold line 16 and that end panel 7 is foldably joined to the other end of side wall 3 along a scored fold line 17. Furthermore, riser panel 18 is foldably joined to the edge of end panel 6 along scored fold line 19. Similarly riser panel 26 is foldably joined to the edge of end wall 7 along fold line 21. Bottom panel 22 is foldably joined to the lower edge of side wall 3 along a scored fold line 23 and bottom panel 22 is provided with a medial fold line 24. Riser panels 13 and 13 are provided respectively with notches 25 and 26 which are arranged to engage the notch 27 formed medially of the bottom panel 22 as is well known in the art.

One part of the handle panel generally designated by the numeral 1 comprises that portion of the blank depicted in FIG. which is defined by the letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H. A pair of hand-gripping openings are defined by the cut out portions which are rectangular in shape and which are designated by the numerals 28 and 29. Furthermore, scored lines 30 and 31 define a partitioning strip 30A foldably related along line 31 with side wall 2 and along line 30 with handle 1 while score lines 32 and 33 define a partitioning strip 32A which is interconnected between handle 1 and side wall 3.

That part of handle 1 which is associated with the other end of the carrier, with the riser panels 14 and 20 is bounded by the area designated by the letters J-Q inclusive.

A pair of hand-gripping flaps designated by the numerals 34 and 35 are foldably joined to the handle element along hinged fold lines 36 and 37 respectively. Furthermore, a partitioning strip 38A associated with the side wall 2 and the handle is defined by fold lines 38 and 39 while a similar partitioning strip 40A is defined by scored fold lines 40 and 41.

In order to form the carrier shown in perspective in FIG. 1 from the blank depicted in FIG. 5 it is first necessary to apply glue to the areas indicated by stippling in FIG. 5. Thereafter, end panels 5 and 6 are folded respectively along score lines 8 and 16. Simultaneously with this folding operation the partitioning strip 30A defined by score lines 3031 swings over along score line 31 in overlapping relation with side wall 2 with the score line 30 disposed somewhat generally adjacent to the score line 38. In like fashion the folding of end panels 5 and 6 is accompanied by a folding of the partition strip 32A defined by score lines 32 and 33 over the score line designated by 33 so that the score line 32 is disposed adjacent the score line 40. Riser panels remain in the same plane as the end panels 5 and 6 and when this fold is completed the strippled areas of the end panels 5 and 6 are glued to the stippled areas generally between the corners A and H of the handle panel A-H, it being understood that folding is effected along line A-H. Of course, the handle panel designated by the letters A-H swings over in a generally flat plane to occupy the position depicted in FIG.

6 with that part of the handle which is disposed generally between corners designated GH lying alongside the partition strip 32A defined by the score lines 32 and 33, while the part of the handle disposed generally between corners A-B lies in overlapping relation with the partition strip 30A defined by score lines 30 and 31. Simultaneously the end generally designated by the letters D and E of the handle panel moves over to a position generally adjacent the right hand ends of the hand-gripping apertures 34 and 35 as depicted in FIG. 6. The folding operation described above results in the arrangement depicted in FIG. 6. Glue is then applied as is indicated by stippling in FIG. 6 and thereafter the riser panel 14 is folded over along the score line 15 into overlapping relation with the end panel 4 and secured to the right hand end of the handle panel designated M-M. Simultaneously riser panel 20 is folded over along fold line 21 into overlapping relation with end panel 7 and is secured to the part of the handle panel disposed between the corners designated MN. The carrier then appears as is depicted in FIG. 7. As is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 the handle panels of the carrier are provided with a medial fold line designated by the numeral 42. Glue is applied as indicated by stippling in FIG. 7. Sidewall panel 2 and parts associated therewith on one side of the medial fold line 42 are swung over into face contacting relation with the portions of the carrier disposed on the other side of the medial fold line 42 so that the carrier then appears as depicted in FIG. 8. In order to complete the construction of the basic carrier it is only necessary to apply glue to the underneath surface of the bottom panel 22 along the edge designated 43 thereof and subsequently to fold the bottom panel along its medial fold line 24 and to afiix the glued edge 43 of bottom panel 22 to the lap panel 10. The carrier then is in its collapsed completed form as depicted in FIG. 9.

In order to set the carrier up so that it occupies the position depicted in FIG. 1 it is simply necessary to pull the sides 2 and 3 apart and to press inwardly on the end panels 4 and 7 and bottom panel 22 thereby to cause the registering locking notches 25 and 26 to engage the locking notch 27 in the bottom panel.

According to a feature of the invention and as may best be indicated with reference to FIG. 1 that part of the carrier side walls which is adjacent the ends, i.e. which extends from the fold line designated by the numeral 38 to the corner 9 and which extends at the other end of the carrier from the fold line designated by the numeral 31 to the corner designated at 8, is somewhat shorter than that part of the carrier which is disposed between the fold lines designated 31 and 38. Score lines 44 and 45 are provided in end panel 5 and a score line 46 is provided in the end portion of side wall 2. Similarly score lines 47 and 48 are provided in end panel 4 and a score line 49 is provided in the other end of side wall 2. Thus, it will be understood that the short dimension between points 8 and 31 together with the score lines 44, 45 and 46 cause the end cell of the carrier on one side of the handle to conform with the general contour of the article inserted in the end cell. Similarly the article inserted in the other end cell causes the carrier to conform to the general shape of that article. Thus, since the length of the center cell defined between points 31 and 38 and the strips 30A and 38A are slightly oversize, it is possible to shift the center article somewhat outwardly toward the sidewall 2 and thereby to make room for the hand of the person gripping the hand hold spaces designated 28 and 29 and the flaps designated 34 and 35 in FIG. 5. As an example of the above dimensional relationships, one practical arrangement is constructed so that the width of end panels 4 and 5, the spacing between fold lines 31 and 38, and the length of strips 30A and 38A is two and one-half inches while the distance horizontally between corner 8 and fold line 31 and between corner 9 and fold line 38 measured horizontally is two and one-quarter inches. Furthermore, the side walls are high and afford substantial protection from sun light and breakage for the bottles included therein and since the end bottles are securely retained the carrier is provided with excellent stacking characteristics whereby one carrier may be stacked on top of another. The handle 1 is at or below the level of the tops of the packaged articles.

From FIG. 5 it is clear that the nesting is achieved since edge 50 of one blank could coincide with edge 51 of an adjacent blank. Similarly edges 52 and 53 coinclde, it being understood that the greater width of riser panels 14 and 18 serves to provide a center partition between the end articles on opposite sides of handle 1.

In order to provide additional protection against breakage due to the impact of a packaged article and an adacent article on the same side of handle 1, the cushioning partition inserts generally designated by the numerals 54 and 55 may be provided, such inserts being depicted in FIGS. 10 and 11 respectively.

As is best shown in FIG. 10 the insert 54 is provided with a center portion, 56 defined by score lines 57 and 58 and is also provided with a locking tab 59 and a retaining tab 60. Foldably joined to the center panel 56 along score line 57 is another panel 61 which is provided with a slot 62 and a scored fold line 63. Foldably joined to center panel 56 along score line 58 is a panel 64 which is provided with a slot 65 and a scored fold line 66. Actually the inserts 54 and 55 are identically constructed but they are simply in reverse orientation as shown in order to form complementary abutting inserts on opposite sides of the handle 1.

In order to insert the partitioning element 54 into thecarrier of FIG. 1, panel 61 is folded upwardly along the fold line 57 into substantially normal relation to panel 56 and panel 64 is similarly folded to form a channellike structure. Thereafter the insert is slipped in between partitioning strips 30A and 38A as shown in FIG. 1 with slot 62 riding underneath the lower edge of strip 30A and with the notch 65 riding underneath the lower edge of strip 38A.

The upper edges of the corners of cushioning partitions 61 and 64 defined by line 63 and slot 62 and by line 66 and slot 65, respectively, are disposed on opposite sides of strips 30A and 38A from the main part of panels 61 and 64.

The insert depicted in FIG. 11 and designated by the numeral 55 is similarly folded except in the opposite direction and thereafter is inserted on the other side of handle panel 1 and locked therein by an arrangement identical to that described above in connection with insert 54. Thereafter the locking tab 59 of insert 54 is pushed through the retaining tab 60 of insert 55. Similarly the locking tab 59 of insert 55 is pushed through the retaining tab 60 of insert 54 to fasten the panel 56 of each insert in snug relationship.

With the arrangement described above it will be understood that center panels 56 are in abutting relation and constitute a double wall partition between the center bottles of the carrier disposed on either side of the handle panel 1.

Furthermore, it will be understood that panels 61 and 64 on each side of the handle 1 constitute cushioning partitions whereby adjacent articles in the carrier are cushioned with respect to each other.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of the invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto and intend in the appended claims to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A paperboard carrier for bottles or similar articles, said carrier comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls joined to said bottom wall along opposite side edges thereof, end wall panels joined at the ends of said side walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, riser panels joined at the inwardly extending edges of said end Wall panels and extending inwardly of the carrier, said riser panels also extending above said end wall panels and having respectively joined thereto in alignment with the joined edges of said end wall panels at one end of the carrier a pair of outer handle panels and at the other end of the carrier a pair of inner handle panels, said pair of inner handle panels being in face contacting relation and said pair of outer handle panels being disposed about said inner handle panels to form a composite handle for the carrier, a plurality of partition strips disposed in spaced relation intermediate said end wall panels on each side of said handle and foldably joined to said handle and to said side walls to form a row of article receiving cells between said handle and each side wall, the end cells in each row being smaller than the inner cells and one riser panel at each end of the carrier extending inwardly from the end wall panels a distance greater than the adjacent riser panel and beyond the centers of the end cells to form a protective partition between the end articles on opposite sides of the handle, said end cells being deformable into general conformity with the articles to be placed therein, and a cushioning partition structure interposed between adjacent partition strips on each side of and generally below said handle, the structure on each side of said handle having a cushioning panel in abutting face contacting relation with a complementary structure on the opposite side of the handle, means securing said cushioning panels to each other, said cushioning panels being foldably joined with a pair of cushioning partition panels in face contacting relation with adjacent ones of said partition strips, the fold lines between said abutting face contacting panels and said pairs of panels being generally coincident with the adjacent fold lines between the associated strips and handle respectively, and means connecting said cushioning partition panels with their associated partition strips.

2. A paperboard carrier for bottles or similar articles, said carrier comprising a bottom wall, opposed side walls joined to said bottom wall along opposite side edges thereof, end wall panels joined at the ends of said side walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, riser panels joined at the inwardly extending edges of said end wall panels and extending inwardly of the carrier, said riser panels also extending above said end wall panels and having respectively joined thereto in alignment with the joined edges of said end wall panels at one end of the carrier a pair of outer handle panels, and at the other end of the carrier a pair of inner handle panels, said pair of inner handle panels being in face contacting relation and said pair of outer handle panels being disposed about said inner handle panels to form a composite handle for the carrier, a plurality of partition strips disposed in spaced relation intermediate said end wall panels on each side of said handle and foldably joined to said handle and to said side walls to form a row of article receiving cells between said handle and each side wall, the end cells in each row being smaller than the inner cells and one riser panel at each end of the carrier extending inwardly from the end wall panels a distance greater than the adjacent riser panel and beyond the centers of the end cells to form a protective partition between the end articles on opposite sides of the handle, the other riser panel at each end of the carrier extending inwardly from the end wall panels a distance short of the center of the end cells, and said end cells being deformable into general conformity with the articles to be placed therein.

3. A paperboard blank for use in forming an article carrier, said blank comprising a generally rectangular bottom panel, a first side wall panel foldably joined to a side edge of said bottom panel, a first pair of end panels foldably joined respectively to the end edges of said first side wall panel, a first pair of riser panels foldably joined respectively to said first pair of end panels along the edges thereof remote from said first side wall panel, one of said first pair of riser panels being substantially wider than the other riser panel, a first pair of handle panels foldably joined respectively to said riser panels along fold lines coinciding respectively with the fold lines adjoining the associated riser panel and the adjacent end panel, a second pair of handle panels foldably joined respectively to said first pair of handle panels along fold lines disposed generally normal to the fold lines between said first pair of riser panels and said first pair of end panels, a second pair of riser panels foldably joined respectively to said second pair of handle panels along fold lines coinciding respectively with the fold lines between said first pair of end panels and said first pair of riser panels, one of said second pair of riser panels being substantially wider than the other of said second pair of riser panels and the fold line adjoining the wider panel of each pair of riser panels to its associated end panel being coincidental with the fold line adjoining the narrower panel of each pair of riser panels to its associated end panel, a second pair of end panels foldably joined respectively to said second pair of riser panels along fold lines coinciding with the fold lines between said second riser panels and said second handle panels respectively, a second side wall panel having its end edges foldably joined respectively to the edges of said second pair of end panels remote from said second pair of riser panels, and a lap panel foldably joined to the bottom edge of said second side wall panel.

4. A paperboard carrier for bottles or similar articles, said carrier comprising a handle, a bottom wall, opposed side walls joined to said bottom wall along opposite side edges thereof, end wall panels joined at the ends of said said walls and extending transversely inward therefrom, riser panels joined at the inwardly extending edges of said end wall panels and extending inwardly of the carrier, said riser panels being joined at each end of the carrier to an end of said handle, a plurality of partition panels disposed in spaced relation intermediate said end wall panels on each side of said handle and joined to said handle and to said side walls to form a row of article receiving cells between said handle and each side wall, one riser panel at each end of the carrier extending inwardly from the end wall panels a distance greater than the adjacent riser panel and beyond the centers of the end cells to form a single layer protective partition between the end articles on opposite sides of the handle medially of the end cells, the other riser panel at each end of the carrier extending inwardly from the end wall panels a distance short of the center of the end cells and the difference in width between the riser panels at one end of the carrier being substantially equal to the difierence in width between the riser panels at the other end of the carrier and the wide riser panel at one end of the carrier being on the opposite side of the handle from the wide panel at the other end of the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 163,609 Jones June 12, 1951 2,460,229 Leobold Jan. 25, 1949 2,564,449 Ringler Aug. 14, 1951 2,630,264 Holy Mar. 3, 1953 2,709,535 Bergstein May 31, 1955 2,717,098 Arneson Sept. 6, 1955 2,772,810 Arneson Dec. 4, 1956 2,776,072 Forrer Jan. 1, 1957 3,062,404 Arneson Nov. 6, 1962 

1. A PAPERBOARD CARRIER FOR BOTTLES OR SIMILAR ARTICLES, SAID CARRIER COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL, OPPOSED SIDE WALLS JOINED TO SAID BOTTOM WALL ALONG OPPOSITE SIDE EDGES THEREOF, END WALL PANELS JOINED AT THE ENDS OF SAID SIDE WALLS AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY INWARD THEREFROM, RISER PANELS JOINED AT THE INWARDLY EXTENDING EDGES OF SAID END WALL PANELS AND EXTENDING INWARDLY OF THE CARRIER, SAID RISER PANELS ALSO EXTENDING ABOVE SAID END WALL PANELS AND HAVING RESPECTIVELY JOINED THERETO IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE JOINED EDGES OF SAID END WALL PANELS AT ONE END OF THE CARRIER A PAIR OF OUTER HANDLE PANELS AND AT THE OTHER END OF THE CARRIER A PAIR OF INNER HANDLE PANELS, SAID PAIR OF INNER HANDLE PANELS BEING IN FACE CONTACTING RELATION AND SAID PAIR OF OUTER HANDLE PANELS BEING DISPOSED ABOUT SAID INNER HANDLE PANELS TO FORM A COMPOSITE HANDLE FOR THE CARRIER, A PLURALITY OF PARTITION STRIPS DISPOSED IN SPACED RELATION INTERMEDIATE SAID END WALL PANELS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID HANDLE AND FOLDABLY JOINED TO SAID HANDLE AND TO SAID SIDE WALLS TO FORM A ROW OF ARTICLE RECEIVING CELLS BETWEEN SAID HANDLE AND EACH SIDE WALL, THE END CELLS IN EACH ROW BEING SMALLER THAN THE INNER CELLS AND ONE RISER PANEL AT EACH END OF THE CARRIER EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE END WALL PANELS A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE ADJACENT RISER PANEL AND BEYOND THE CENTERS OF THE END CELLS TO FORM A PROTECTIVE PARTITION BETWEEN THE END ARTICLES ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE HANDLE, SAID END CELLS BEING DEFORMABLE INTO GENERAL CONFORMITY WITH THE ARTICLES TO BE PLACED THEREIN, AND A CUSHIONING PARTITION STRUCTURE INTERPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT PARTITION STRIPS ON EACH SIDE OF AND GENERALLY BELOW SAID HANDLE, THE STRUCTURE ON EACH SIDE OF SAID HANDLE HAVING A CUSHIONING PANEL IN ABUTTING FACE CONTACTING RELATION WITH A COMPLEMENTARY STRUCTURE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HANDLE, MEANS SECURING SAID CUSHIONING PANELS TO EACH OTHER, SAID CUSHIONING PANELS BEING FOLDABLY JOINED WITH A PAIR OF CUSHIONING PARTITION PANELS IN FACE CONTACTING RELATION WITH ADJACENT ONES OF SAID PARTITION STRIPS, THE FOLD LINES BETWEEN SAID ABUTTING FACE CONTACTING PANELS AND SAID PAIRS OF PANELS BEING GENERALLY COINCIDENT WITH THE ADJACENT FOLD LINES BETWEEN THE ASSOCIATED STRIPS AND HANDLE RESPECTIVELY, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID CUSHIONING PARTITION PANELS WITH THEIR ASSOCIATED PARTITION STRIPS. 